Scientists Have Finally Discovered Why The Brain Consumes So Much Energy, Even at Rest
The human brain gobbles up to 10 times more energy than the rest of the body, eating through 20 percent of our fuel intake on average when we're resting. Even in comatose patients who are said to be 'brain dead', only two to three times less energy is consumed by the brain.
It's one of the great mysteries of human neuroscience: why does a largely inactive organ continue to require so much power?
A new study pins the answer to a tiny and secret fuel-guzzler, hiding within our neurons.
When a brain cell passes a signal to another neuron, it does so via a synapse, or a small gap between them.
First, the pre-synaptic neuron sends a bunch of vesicles to the end of its tail, closest to the synapse. These vesicles then suck in neurotransmitters from within the neuron, acting sort of like 'envelopes' that hold messages in need of being mailed.
for more details click the link below:
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-hidden-structure-in-our-neurons-could-explain-why-the-brain-guzzles-so-much-energy
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